66 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



that I gave it to her, and when she realized my intention she 

 seized it with such eagerness that she crumpled and almost 

 tore the paper; for as the Ojibways have no word to express their 

 thanks, they show their gratitude by the eagerness with which 

 they accept a present. 



That, however, reminds me of having read in one of the 

 leading American magazines an account of a noted American 

 illustrator's trip into the woods of Quebec. While there he 

 presented a red handkerchief to an Indian girl. The fact that 

 she snatched it from him, and then ran away, was to him — as he 

 stated — a sign that she was willing to comply with any evil 

 intentions he might entertain toward her. Such absolute 

 rot! The polite little maid was merely trying to express her 

 unbounded thanks for his gift. 



The only thing that interrupted our paddling the following 

 day was our going ashore to portage around a picturesque 

 waterfall where two huge rocks, on the very brink of the 

 cascade, split the river into three. When we had carried 

 up the canoes, we found the children making a great to-do 

 about wasps attacking them; for they had put down their 

 packs beside a wasps' hole; and old Granny, seeing the 

 commotion, had put down her end of the canoe, and with 

 disgust exclaimed: 



"Oh, my foolish people, always standing around and waiting 

 for old Granny to fix everything!" So saying, she pulled a 

 big bunch of long, dry grass, and fighting it, ran with a blanket 

 over her head, and placed the fire against the wasps' hole; in a 

 moment they ceased their attack and utterly disappeared. 



We were now nearing the fork of Crane River, that in its 

 three-mile course came from Crane Lake, on the shore of which 

 was Oo-koo-hoo's last winter's camping ground; the men there- 

 fore decided that it was best for Amik to push on in the light 

 canoe and get the two deerskin winter tepee coverings, as well 

 as their traps, that had been cached there last spring; and then 



